Air-vent cleaner for filling machines



J. F. HALLER.

AIR VENT CLEANER FOR FILLING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED IULYI5| 1920.

1,4:253960. Patefited Aug. 1 5, 1922.

s SHEI-ITS-SHIEET 1.

' J. F. HALLER. AIR VENT CLEANER FOR FILUNG MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 15, I920.

1,425,960, Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

.2 Q v 44 f? h 54 6.. 45 I r J. F. HALLER. AIR VENT CLEANER FOR FILLING MACHINES.

APPLICAT'ON FILED JULY I5. I920.

Patented Au 15, 1922.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

M vlllll mn u-ll care was JOSEPH F. HALLER, OF PITTSBURGH,PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO MCKENNA BRASS & MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC., OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR-.

PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

A R-VENT CLEANER 'ron FILLING MACHINES. 1

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aflg. 115, 1922.

Application filed July 15, 1920. Serial No. 396,446.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH F. HALLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, have invented a new' 'and useful Improvement in Air-Vent Cleaners for Filling Machines, of which the following is a full,

clear, and exact description.

Thep-resent invention relates broadly to filling machines and more particularly to means for thereof.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide means for cleaning the air vent tubes at the completion of each filling operation.

A further object of the present invent-ion is toprovide an air vent tube cleaning device particularly adaptable for use with filling machines of the rotary type.

Another object of the present invention is to provide means for regulating the air pressure whereby splashing of the contents of the filled bottles dur'ng the cleaning operation will be prevented.

Still another object of the present invention is to provid'e means for adjusting the point of application of the air blast for cleaning the air vent tubes. I

A still further object of the invention is to provide adjustable means for engagement with" the tank of a filling machine, which means is maintained in operative engagement with the tank at all times for delivering blasts of air in succession to the air vent tubes of the respective filling heads supplied from said tank.

The foregoing and other objects, together with their attendant advantages, will be apparent as the invention becomes better understood, by reference to the accompanying specification and drawings forming a Figure 1 is a side elevation, largely dia.

grammatic and partly broken away, of a rotary bottle filling machine.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are enlarged detail views of portions of the cleaning attach ment,

cleaning the air vent tubes.

Fggure 5 is a setional view'on the line V ofFigure 3.

' Figure 6 is a sectional view on the line VI-Vl of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a. longitudinal sectional view through the pressure regulating device.

Figure 8 is a sectional view through a filling head, and

Figure 9 is a 'front elevation of the lower portion of the filling tube.

At the present time a great deal of difficulty is experienced in maintaining the air vent tubes of filling heads free from clogging by the materialbeing handled. This is particularly true of such semi-solid mate rials as catsup and chili sauce. By means of the present invention, a blast of air is passed through each air vent tube at approximately the completion of the filling operation so that any material which has become lodged therein is automatically forced into the bottle or other receptacle being filled.

lVhile the present invention is adaptable for use with filling heads of any desired construction, it is here illustrated as applied to a filling tube of the type disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 396,447, filed of even date herewith. v

Referring more particularly to the drawings, there is'illustrated a rotary filling machine comprising a supporting base 2 in which is supported a central shaft 3 carrying at its upper end a tank 4 for the reception of the material being handled. Carried by an intermediate portion of the shaft 3 is a downwardly inclined guard plate 5 having formed thereon a bevel gear 6 adapted to mesh with a driving pinion 7 on the driving shaft 8. It will be apparent that by reason of this mechanism, the filling tank and the mechanism carried thereby may be rotated at any desired speed.

The guard plate i'sprovided with a number of bearings 9 for the reception of rods 10 carrying bottle supports 11 at their upper ends and held against rotational movement by supplemental guides 12. The lower ends of each of the rods 10 may be provided with rollers 13 co-operating with a cam track 14 of any desired construction for automati- Formed in the bottom of the tank i are a plurality of outlet openings for the reception of sleeves 15 carrying filling tubes 16. Extending longitudinally through each of the filling tubes is an air vent tube 17 having its lower end open to permit escape of air from the receptacle being filled, and having its upper end supported in any desired manner, as by a post 18. The top edge 19 of the tank t may be flanged outwardly, as illustrated, and provided with a plurality of tubes 20 projecting beyond the upper surface and extending flush with the lower surface 21 which is preferably machined to form a valve seat around the entire circumference of the tank. Connecting each of the air vent tubes 17 with one of the tubes 20,"is a flexible connection 22, preferably comprising a suitable length of rubber hose.

The filling tubes may each be provided with a sliding cutoff 23 adapted to close the outlet opening 24 formed in the side thereof adjacent the lower end, and carrying a. guide 25 to position the bottles as they are raised by the bottle supports to lift the cutoff against the action of the compression spring 26.

It will be understood that the details of the filling tube and the filling head may be,

varied as desired, as my invention is not limited to use with any particular form thereof.

Supporting the upper end of the shaft 3 is a transversely extending brace 27 carried by an upright 28 which may be secured to the base of the machine, or otherwise mounted. The brace 27 may be provided with an extension 29 forming a guide for the reception of a float rod30 suitably connected to andcontrolling a valve 31 in the inlet pipe 32, whereby the amount of material in the tank 4 is automatically cont-rolled.

Vertically adjustable on the upright 28 is a bracket 33 held in adjusted position by a set screw 34:. At its upper end the bracket 33 is provided with an adjustable arm 35 having bearings 36 carried thereby for the reception of a pulley 37. Extending through the outer end of the arm 35 is a tube 38 which may have'its upper portion 39 flattened to permit the rod 40 extending therethrough to move laterally in thedirection of the arrows A in Figure 2. The lower end of the rod 40 may be provided with an opening 41 for the reception of arable 12 extending upwardly around the pulley 37 and joined to a counterweight 43. Due to this construction 'it will be apparent that the counterweight 13 tends at all times to maintain the rod 40 in its upper position and to swing the same inwardly toward the tank 4.

Loosely secured to the upper end of the rod 40 to permit movement independently thereof, is a head 44, illustrated in detail in Figure a, which is preferably arcuate in the nipple 16 through the opening 17. This nipple is connected by a flexible conduit 48 I with a similar nipple 4L9 communicating with the interior of the chamber 50 of the pressure regulating device. This device comprises a casing 51 having outlets 52 which are controlled by a ball valve 53 nor:

mally resting on a. seat 54:. The chamber ,50 being supplied through a connection 55 from a pump 56, driven in any desired manner from the driving shaft 8 through gearing 57, it will be apparent that pressure will build up in the chamber 50 until it reaches a point sufficiently high to overcome the weight of the ball valve 53, at which time the surplus pressure will be permitted to escape, as described.

When used with a rotary filling machine, it will be apparent that each time one of the tubes 20 in the flange of the tank passes over the head 44, a blast of air will be directed through the conduit 48 and air vent tube 17, tending to free the'air vent tube of any material contained therein. As the bracket 33 and the arm 35 are both adjustable, it will be obvious that the exact time at which this cleaning blast is directed, through the air vent tube may be accurately controlled. This time is' preferably regulated so that the blast occurs just after the filling operation'and as the bottle isbeing lowered out of engagement with the filling tube. As the pressure is regulated, it will at no time be sufliciently great to force the contents of the-bottle out of the mouth thereof.

lit will be understood that the air blast may be forced through the air vent tube in either direction according to whether the pressure produced by the pump 56 is above or below atmospheric pressure and my claims are inclusive of such a construction.

The advantages of the present invention arise from the means provided for positively cleaning the air vent tubes after each filling imately the termination of the'filling operation, substantially as described. I 2. In a filling machine, a filling tube, an air vent tube normally open to the atmos- Massed phere, means for producing a flow of air through the air vent tube for cleaning the same and forcing any foreign material into the receptacle being filled, and means for automatically connecting said means to said air vent tube for producing a flow of cleaning air through said-air vent tube after each blast of air through each of said air vent tubes once during each rotation of said tank, means for controllingthe time at which'said blast is effective, and means for regulating.

the pressure of said blast, substantially as described. I

11. In a rotary filling machine, a rotary tank having a seat formed thereon, a plurality of filling tubes connected tosaid tank, an air vent tube for each of said filling tubes, means for connecting said air vent tubes to said seat, and means co-operating with said seat to supply air blasts to said air vent tubes, substantially as described.

12. In a rotary filling machine, a tank having a seat formed thereon, a. plurality ooffilling tubes connected to said tank, an air'vent tube for each of said filling tubes,

- means for connecting said air vent tubes to said seat, and adjustable means co-operating air through said air vent tube, means for adjusting the time of commencement of said blast, and means for regulating the pressure ofsaid blast, substantially as described.

6. In a filling machine, a tank, means for rotating the same, filling tubes connected therewith, an air vent tube for each filling tube, and means for forcing a blast of air through each of said air vent tubes at a predetermined point in the rotation of said tank for forcing any foreign material therefrom into .the receptacle being filled, substantially as described.

7. In a filling machine, a tank, means for rotating the same, a plurality of filling tubes connected therewith, an air vent tube for each filling tube, and means for forcing a blast of air through each of said air vent tubes once during each rotation. of said tank for forcing any foreign material therefrom into the receptacle being filled, substantially as described.

8. In a filling machine, a tank, means for rotating the same, a plurality of filling tubes connected therewith, an air vent tube for each filling tube, means for forcing a blast of air through each of said air vent tubes once during each rotation of said tank, and means for controlling the time at which said blast is effective, substantially as described.

- 9. In a filling machine, a tank, means for rotating the same, a plurality of filling tubes connected therewith, an air. vent tube for each filling tube, means for forcing a blast of air through each 10f said air vent tubes once during each rotation of said tank, and means for regulating the pressure.

' for rotating the same, a plurality of filling tubes connected therewith, an air vent tube with said seat to supply air blasts to said air vent tubes, substantially as described.-

13. In a rotary filling machine, a filling tank, a plurality of filling tubes connected therewith, an air vent tube for each of said filling tubes, said'tank having a plurality of openings formed therein, means for connecting. each of said air vent tubes toone of said openings, and means for directing air to said openings, substantially as described.

. 14:. In a rotary filling machine, a filling I tank, a plurality of filling tubes connected therewith, an air vent tube for each of said filling tubes, said tank having a plurality of openings formed therein, means for connecting each of said air vent tubes to one of said openings, and adjustable means for directing air to said openings, substantially as described.

15. In a rotary filling machine, a filling tank, a plurality offilling tubes connected therewith, an air vent tube for each of said filling tubes, said tank having a plurality of openings formed therein, means for connecting each of said air vent tubes to one of said openings, means for directing air to said openings, and a counterweight for maintaining said means in operative position, substantially as described.

16. In a filling machine, a filling tube,

an air vent tube, means/for forcing a' blast of air through said air vent tube after each fillin operation, and means for controlling said blast, substantially as described.

p 17. A filling machine having a filling tank provided with an annular member having a series of air flow openings, air flow producing means, and'yieldin'g means forming a connection between said air flow openings and said flow producing means, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. 1

JOSEPH EIIALLER. 

